If the world’s population switched to a vegetarian diet, it would be really bad for Ireland, but would also have a minimal impact on the whole question of global emissions, ICMSA general secretary Eddie Punch has said.

The comments came during an interview this morning on Newstalk Breakfast where Punch refuted recent calls from the United Nations for the global population to go mostly vegetarian, in effort to reduce global emissions.

The general secretary highlighted the importance of the livestock sector to the rural and national economy, stating that €13.6bn worth of agri food produce is exported annually with both dairy and beef farms contributing €4bn each.

Livestock figures

Punch said: “As we’ve seen from the beginning of the pandemic, we’ve had perhaps a 10% to 30% reduction in emissions which has nothing to do with going vegetarian but changing the way we work and how we commute.”

“The global figure of direct emissions deriving from livestock is actually only 5%. There is a bigger figure which relates to total land use, giving up livestock production isn’t the solution to total agricultural emissions.”

UN criticism

The United Nations (UN) has come under heavy criticism for its messaging on animal agriculture and climate change. In August, the UN’s Climate Change division Twitter account promoted the Impossible Burger, a plant-based alternative.

The video was published after it was announced Impossible Foods, the company that manufactures the Impossible Burger, was one of its 2019 Global Climate Action award winners.

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